Katanning – Noongar name (Kaat-Nyinning) means ‘the head is sitting here’ and is seen by the local people as the heart of Noongar Boodja.
Kaat-Nyinning was the meeting place for 3 different language groups, whose tribal boundaries merged in Katanning: Goreng people came from the ‘South-East’ (Badgebup, Nyabing, Pingrup, Broomehill and Gnowangerup); Wilmen people came from the ‘North’ (Dumbleyung); and Kaneang people came from the ‘West’ (Kojonup).
Piesse Lake – Noongar name (Kaatanup Pool) means the ‘place of the head’. It was originally a Gnamma hole (sweet freshwater spring) where the three groups gathered to trade with each other and the European traders passing through the region.
Snake-neck turtles and eggs were a great food source for the Noongar groups camping here. Only a few eggs were taken from each nest at a time to ensure there were enough turtles for food the following year.
This gathering was women only, and after a feed together, artist Tina Hansen led us all in creating her artwork on the land.
